Map of South Sudan showing Warrap State. (-).

JUBA, South Sudan (Eye Radio) – Warrap State has emerged as the deadliest region in South Sudan, accounting for nearly half of all civilian casualties nationwide, according to a new UNMISS Human Rights report.

According to the UN quarterly report shared with Eye Radio, on Friday, January 9, while community violence persists, the SSPDF and SPLA-IO forces were directly responsible for over one-fifth of the 1,153 documented victims between July and September 2025.

It stated that Warrap recorded 528 individuals harmed—46 percent of the national total—while Central Equatoria followed with 160 victims and the country’s highest rates of abductions and sexual violence.

The findings implicate both the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and the SPLA-IO in the ongoing crisis, with the two main armed parties together accounting for 21 percent of the civilian toll during the third quarter of 2025.

The report reveals that between July and September 2025, investigators documented 295 incidents of conflict-related violence resulting in 1,153 civilian victims. Of these documented victims, 519 were killed, 396 injured, 159 abducted, and 79 subjected to conflict-related sexual violence.

While the third quarter of 2025 showed a 24 percent decrease in total victims compared to the preceding quarter of April to June, the long-term year-on-year data remains deeply concerning.

The statistics highlight a 74 percent increase in killings and a staggering 147 percent spike in sexual violence compared to the third quarter of 2024. The number of injured civilians also saw a 28 percent increase over the same annual period.

According to the report, community-based militias and civil-defense groups remain the most significant threat to safety, accounting for 72 percent of all documented victims.

These groups are frequently involved in cyclical revenge attacks, cattle raiding, and territorial disputes over natural resources.

Conventional parties to the conflict, including the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO), were responsible for 21 percent of victims, while unidentified armed elements accounted for the remaining seven percent.

Warrap State stands out as the deadliest region in the country, accounting for 46 percent of total victims nationwide with 528 individuals harmed.

Central Equatoria followed as the second most affected region, documenting 160 victims and the highest levels of abductions and sexual violence.

The report also notes persistent hostilities in Upper Nile and Unity States, where indiscriminate shelling and aerial bombardments continue to displace thousands of people and disrupt essential livelihoods.

UNMISS investigators emphasized that these figures likely underrepresent the true scale of the crisis due to severe operational constraints.

Access denials by security forces, widespread flooding, and poor road conditions frequently prevented teams from reaching hotspot areas. Additionally, the social stigma surrounding sexual violence and the fear of reprisals among survivors continue to lead to significant underreporting of human rights abuses.

The mission continues to call on the Government of South Sudan to uphold its international obligations to protect civilians and investigate all alleged violations.

UNMISS urges all stakeholders to take immediate action to end the violence, noting that the resurgence of hostilities since early 2025 has significantly undermined the human rights situation and worsened the humanitarian crisis for the South Sudanese people.